POST-WORLD WAR II BASEMENT HOUSES IN CANTON, SOUTH DAKOTA: HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE FROM THE GROUND DOWN
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Date
1997-08
Authors
Berg, Erin Hanafin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Basement houses are permanent dwellings in which the primary living spaces were placed within an excavated area. Most common during times of economic hardship and housing crisis, they were true starter homes, of ten expanded through the construction of a superstructure. Although common in the Midwestern United States, basement houses are seldom acknowledged nor understood.
This study addresses the trend of basement house construction in Canton, South Dakota, where nine basement houses were constructed shortly after the conclusion of World War II. Of these nine, one house remains as a basement; eight were vertically expanded prior to 1960. Based on the features of these nine examples and several basement houses located elsewhere within the state of South Dakota, several issues of their preservation are discussed. The historic significance of basement houses is argued, and guidelines are suggested as to their identification and preservation.
Description
280 pages
Keywords
historic preservation, Basement House, Postwar Era, World War II, Canton